Main IdeaMr. Scanlon’s 7th Grade Class

Main IdeaThe main idea of a passage (piece

of writing) is what it’s mostly about.

Relevant - connected with the subject being discussed.

Main IdeaThere are clues in the passage to let you identify the main idea:

1. The main idea is usually stated in the topic sentence. This is often (but not always) the first sentence.

My favorite place to visit is New York City. One thing I like about it is the variety of restaurants. Another thing I like is the great number of museums, from modern art to culture and history. Finally, there is the theatre district on Broadway, with some of the greatest live entertainment in the world. This is why New York City is my favorite place to visit.

What’s the main idea?

My favorite place to visit is New York City. One thing I like about it is the variety of restaurants. Another thing I like is the great number of museums, from modern art to culture and history. Finally, there is the theatre district on Broadway, with some of the greatest live entertainment in the world. This is why New York City is my favorite place to visit.

As soon as I climb up out of the subway, I know that I’m standing in the capital of the world. I can have all-you-can-eat sushi at Ichi Umi, steaks at Sardi’s, or hop a cab to Churriscaria Plataforma for the finest Brazilian food in America. A quick walk around the block, and I’m on Broadway, where I’ve seen Hugh Jackman, Melina Kanakaredes, and Pee-Wee Herman on stage. Minutes later, I can be inside an Egyptian temple, look at 16th century German armor, or stand in front of a painting that was touched by the hand of Vincent Van Gogh at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The only place in the world that I can do all these things in a single afternoon is New York City, my very favorite place to visit.

What’s the main idea?

As soon as I climb up out of the subway, I know that I’m standing in the capital of the world. I can have all-you-can-eat sushi at Ichi Umi, steaks at Sardi’s, or hop a cab to Churriscaria Plataforma for the finest Brazilian food in America. A quick walk around the block, and I’m on Broadway, where I’ve seen Hugh Jackman, Melina Kanakaredes, and Pee-Wee Herman on stage. Minutes later, I can be inside an Egyptian temple, look at 16th century German armor, or stand in front of a painting that was touched by the hand of Vincent Van Gogh at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The only place in the world that I can do all these things in a single afternoon is New York City, my very favorite place to visit.

Main IdeaThere are clues in the passage to let you identify the main idea:

2. All of the relevant details support the main idea.

My favorite place to visit is New York City. One thing I like about it is the variety of restaurants. Another thing I like is the great number of museums, from modern art to culture and history. Finally, there is the theatre district on Broadway, with some of the greatest live entertainment in the world. This is why New York City is my favorite place to visit.

What statement do ALL of these sentences support?

0The passage mentions restaurants, but it’s not mostly about restaurants.

0The passage mentions museums, but it’s not mostly about museums.

0The passage mentions Broadway, but it’s not mostly about Broadway.

0All of these relevant details are helping to support the main idea, which is that New York City is my favorite place to visit.

Supporting Ideas

What if I get confused? Scanlon’s Shortcut:Since all of the sentences in a passage should support the main idea, try a simple test:0If you thought the main idea was that New York has

great restaurants, check to see if the other sentences support this idea.

0Does “Another thing I like is the great number of museums, from modern art to culture and history” support this main idea?

0Does “Finally, there is the theatre district on Broadway, with some of the greatest live entertainment in the world” support this main idea?

0No. So this can’t really be the main idea of the passage.

0The main idea of a paragraph is what all the sentences are about. Read the paragraph and ask, “What’s your point?” That will help you zero in on the main idea.

0Read each paragraph carefully. Choose the best answer to the questions that follow.

Source: http://www.rhlschool.com/read6n4.htm

1. Juan loves to play games. His favorite game is chess because it requires a great deal of thought. Juan also likes to play less demanding board games that are based mostly on luck. He prefers Monopoly because it requires luck and skill. If he’s alone, Juan likes to play action video games as long as they aren’t too violent.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?a. Juan dislikes violence.b. Juan likes to think.c. Juan enjoys Monopoly.d. Juan enjoys playing games. 

2. Maria is watching too much television. A toddler shouldn’t be spending hours staring blankly at a screen. Worse yet, some of her wild behavior has been inspired by those awful cartoons she watches. We need to spend more time reading books with her and pull the plug on the TV!

What is the main idea of this paragraph?a. Watching a lot of television isn’t good for Maria.b. Books are good.c. All cartoons are bad.d. Some cartoons are bad for Maria.

3. Someday we will all have robots that will be our personal servants. They will look and behave much like real humans. We will be able to talk to these mechanical helpers and they will be able to respond in kind. Amazingly, the robots of the future will be able to learn from experience. They will be smart, strong, and untiring workers whose only goal will be to make our lives easier.

Which sentence from the paragraph expresses the main idea?a. Someday we will all have robots that will be our personal servants.b. We will be able to talk to these mechanical helpers and they will be able to respond in kind.c. They will look and behave much like real humans.d. Amazingly, the robots of the future will be able to learn from experience.

4. Corn was first grown by Native Americans. They showed the pilgrims how to grow corn as food. At one time corn was used as money by pioneers. Corn is used as feed for farm animals. People also eat it as a vegetable. Oil, starch, and sugar can be made from corn. Corn is also important in industry. Medicine, paper, fertilizer, and glue can be made from corn and corn products.

Choose an appropriate topic sentence for this paragraph: 1. Native Americans were the first to grow corn. 2. Corn was used as money. 3. Many kinds of animals eat corn. 4. Do you know how important corn is?

5. North Carolina police may use germs to catch bank thieves. Important papers can be sprayed with harmless germs that will stick to the hands of anyone who touches the paper. If a dishonest employee steals the papers, things that he or she touches later will have the germs on them. A scientist can show that the person leaving the germs got them when stealing the treated papers.

What is this story mainly about? 1. How some germs are harmless to people 2. How dishonest employees steal important papers 3. How important papers are treated 4. How police use germs to solve crimes

6. Microchips provide the power for wristwatches. They are also the brains in our computers, and they control robots. These chips are used in video games and space shuttles. They make our cameras, radios, and televisions small and light.

What is the story mainly about? 1. How computers work 2. Why televisions are small 3. How microchips are used 4. How cameras work

7. “Consider the Lobster” an interesting article. It tells about the history of lobsters, like how they used to be fed to poor people and prisoners. There is information about how lobster is healthier for you than chicken. It also says that lobsters can feel pain, which is the opposite of what many people tell you.

What is the story mainly about? 1. lobster is healthier for you than chicken2. Lobsters can feel pain3. Prisoners used to eat well4. “Consider the Lobster” is an interesting article